Around 200 people attended the latest Glastonbury Town Deal community event, getting an update on how the £23.6million government funding will be invested in the town.
The event took place on Saturday 18 March at St John’s Church, with representatives of the eleven Glastonbury Town Deal projects sharing progress, plans and architectural drawings with visitors. The project teams were able to provide insight, answer questions and gather feedback throughout the day, connecting the local community with the opportunities and benefits that the projects will deliver over the next few years.
Following the event, Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, Chair of the Glastonbury Town Deal Board, said: “We are really pleased with the turnout today. We’ve had lots of people come along, bringing plenty of questions, interest and enthusiasm. We’ve had feedback that many are now getting a better understanding of the projects thanks to the diagrams and drawings, and the interaction they’ve been able to have with the project teams, explaining the extent of the transformation that will be taking place.
“I think what most people have taken away from today is the scope and synergy of the eleven Glastonbury Town Deal projects, and the culmination of what this £23.6million investment will actually mean for the town. There’s a growing awareness of the scale of what’s going on, and real positivity about the impacts and benefits this will bring.”
Glastonbury was one of 101 towns chosen to receive investment through the government’s Towns Fund scheme as part of its Levelling Up agenda. Following the submission of comprehensive Business Cases for each project, formal confirmation of £23.6million funding was received in September 2022, securing this once-in-a-generation funding that is set to revitalise the town.
All of the Town Deal funding must be spent by the end of March 2026 and the plan is to hold an annual event in March each year to update the local community on progress and next steps with all eleven projects. Project-specific events and open days may also be organised as the individual projects get underway.
The Glastonbury Town Deal projects aim to deliver a necessary ‘levelling up’ opportunity for the town, bringing existing assets back into community use, and working with local communities to develop the spaces and resources they want and need. The vision is for Glastonbury to be a sustainable, prosperous, modern town and global tourist centre, drawing on its rural landscape, history and unique legacy.
